Julie Rovnerhttp://ualrpublicradio.org
enObama Administration Downplays Court Challenge To Health Lawhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/obama-administration-downplays-court-challenge-health-law
This time last year federal officials were scrambling to get as many people enrolled in health insurance through HealthCare.gov as they could before the start of the program on Jan.Wed, 24 Dec 2014 08:25:00 +0000Julie Rovner34381 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgObama Administration Downplays Court Challenge To Health LawWellness At Work Often Comes With Strings Attachedhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/wellness-work-often-comes-strings-attached
If you get health insurance at work, chances are you have some sort of wellness plan, too. But so far there's no real evidence as to whether these plans actually improve the health of employees.<p>One thing we do know is that wellness is particularly popular with employers right now, as they seek ways to slow the rise of health spending.Tue, 09 Dec 2014 18:43:00 +0000Julie Rovner33644 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgHealth Law's Big Tent Still Leaves Some People Outhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/health-laws-big-tent-still-leaves-some-people-out
A Shots post earlier this week by NPR's John Ydstie detailed the "family glitch" in the Affordable Care Act. That's where people who can't afford their insurance at work aren't eligible for help in the new insurance exchanges. Many of these Americans, most of whom make middling incomes, will remain uninsured.<p>That <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/12/02/367837115/obamacare-glitch-puts-subsidies-out-of-reach-for-many-families">story</a> got us wondering: Who else is getting left out by health law?Thu, 04 Dec 2014 08:29:00 +0000Julie Rovner33379 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgHealth Law's Big Tent Still Leaves Some People OutIf Supreme Court Strikes Federal Exchange Subsidies, Health Law Could Unravelhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/if-high-court-strikes-federal-exchange-subsidies-health-law-could-unravel
Exactly what would happen to the Affordable Care Act if the Supreme Court invalidates tax credits in three dozen states where the federal government runs the program?<p>Legal scholars say a decision like that would deal a potentially lethal blow to the law because it would undermine the government-run insurance marketplaces that are its backbone, as well as the mandate requiring most Americans to carry coverage.<p>In<a href="http://kaiserhealthnews.org/news/in-surprising-move-supreme-court-will-examine-key-part-of-health-law/"> King v.Wed, 26 Nov 2014 17:36:00 +0000Julie Rovner33071 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgIf Supreme Court Strikes Federal Exchange Subsidies, Health Law Could UnravelGOP Strategy To Run Against Health Law Hits Snagshttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/gop-strategy-run-against-health-law-hits-snags
Last year, the Republican playbook for keeping control of the House of Representatives in 2014 and winning the Senate consisted of a fairly simple strategy: Run against Obamacare.<p>But now that the 2014 races are starting to take shape, that strategy isn't looking quite so simple. Democrats are fighting back.Thu, 22 May 2014 12:49:00 +0000Julie Rovner23629 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgGOP Strategy To Run Against Health Law Hits SnagsIs Obamacare A Success? We Might Not Know For A Whilehttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/obamacare-success-we-might-not-know-while
After months of focusing on how many people have or haven't signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, we now have a rough total (7.5 million), and everyone's keen to get to the bigger questions: How well is the law working? How many of those who signed up have paid their premiums and are actually getting coverage? How many were uninsured before they signed up?Wed, 16 Apr 2014 07:40:00 +0000Julie Rovner21861 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgIs Obamacare A Success? We Might Not Know For A WhileLessons Learned For 2015 From This Year's Obamacare Sign-Ups http://ualrpublicradio.org/post/lessons-learned-2015-years-obamacare-sign-ups
President Obama was thrilled last week when he was able to announce that more than 7 million people have signed up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act.<p>"This law is doing what it's supposed to do," the president <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/01/remarks-president-affordable-care-act">said in the Rose Garden</a>. "It's working."<p>But that's not to say it couldn't work better. Among those suggesting ways to help is the consumer group <a href="http://familiesusa.org/">Families USA</a>.Wed, 09 Apr 2014 07:33:00 +0000Julie Rovner21523 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgLessons Learned For 2015 From This Year's Obamacare Sign-Ups Glitches Return To HealthCare.Gov As Enrollment Clock Expireshttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/glitches-return-healthcaregov-enrollment-clock-expires
The last day of sign-ups for health insurance on the HealthCare.gov website is turning out to have a lot in common with the first: lots of computer problems.<p>But there are some big differences, too.Mon, 31 Mar 2014 18:47:00 +0000Julie Rovner21104 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgGlitches Return To HealthCare.Gov As Enrollment Clock ExpiresObamacare's National Enrollment Looks OK, But States Matter Morehttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/obamacares-national-enrollment-looks-ok-states-matter-more
With this year's deadline to register for individual health insurance just a weekend away, much attention is being lavished on two numbers — the <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/27/295311611/obamacare-enrollment-exceeds-6-million">6 million Americans</a> who have signed up so far, and the percentage of those folks who are (or aren't) young.<p>But experts say the<em> national</em> numbers actually don't mean very much.<p>"These are really state-based markets," says Caroline Pearson, vice president at <a href="http://avalerehealth.net/">Avalere Health</a>, a consulting firm bFri, 28 Mar 2014 07:27:00 +0000Julie Rovner20974 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgObamacare's National Enrollment Looks OK, But States Matter MoreThat Health Insurance Deadline Now Comes With Wiggle Roomhttp://ualrpublicradio.org/post/health-insurance-deadline-now-comes-wiggle-room
We're just five days away from the March 31 deadline to sign up for individual health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. For weeks, administration officials, including the president, have insisted that there would be no extensions to the scheduled end of the six-month open enrollment period.<p>But now there's some wiggle room. Let's review, shall we?<p><strong>Start with the key question: Is Monday still the deadline?</strong><p>Yes. Next Monday, March 31, is the last day for most individuals to sign up for health insurance for 2014 through the health exchanges or outside of them.Wed, 26 Mar 2014 20:25:00 +0000Julie Rovner20895 at http://ualrpublicradio.orgThat Health Insurance Deadline Now Comes With Wiggle Room